Edward p



E. P. PORCHER.

FRUIT BRANDING MACHHJE,

APPLICATION man MAR. 1r. 1916.

u El:

EDWARD P. PORCHER, (JF COCOA, FLORIDA.

FRUIT-BRANDIN G MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 11916.

Application filed March 17, 1916. Serial No. 84,807.

i To all yuwm t may concern.'

, arrangement for this purpose, economical in use, and Ywith the attendance of a` single operator, to stamp fruit of this nature without danger ot' injury to the fruit itself.

In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one form ot' my invention, and which forms a part of this specification; Figure 1' is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through one end of the apparatus, Fig. 3 is a` plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. l is a detail perspective view of a portion of the branding roller.

Referring now to these figures, I prefcrably provide an endless conveyer generally indicated at and mounted within a suit- 'Hight ot' the conveyer as shown in the figure just mentioned, in alined spaced apart relation.

rl`he side. chains 13 pass over sprocket wheels at the' opposite ends ot' the conveyer and as indicated at 1S, and the Ishaft l5) at the delivery end ot' the convcyer supportingr sprocket wheels 18, is provided with another sprocket wheel connected by a sprocket chain 2() to a suitable source oi l)()\\`l l'.

(hi the shaft 19 just mentioned and intermediate its sprocket wheels 18, is a b-randing roller 21 which is thus driven in consonancewith the conveyer and which is provided wlth raised bosses 22 at equi-distantly spaced points around its periphery, upon the surface of which bosses are secured the stamps 23 which, being properly spaced, are presented successively at the opening 16 of the belt as the latter r'ounds the roller 21.

At its inner side the roller 21 is adjacent an inking roller 24 with the periphery of which the several stamps 23 come into con tact during rotation of the roller 21, the inking roller 24 being in peripheral engagement with a similar roller 25, the latter of which depends within a supplytank 26 and partly within the ink supply carried by the said tank.

Thus in operation, and as shown bestin Fig. 2, the several stamps 23 successively contact with the fruit at a. point above the roller 2l vertically alined with its axis7 and above this point the frame 1l is preferably provided with a presser-foot in the forni of a weighted arm 27 pivoted at one nnd at 2S and having its other end depending to freelyengage the fruit successively as they arrive at the stamping point above. the center of roller 21. able Jframe 1l7 at one end otl which tree` The fruit may be separately disposed in the openings 16 by an operator at the receiving end'of the conveyer, the openings being suiiiciently large to properly seat and maintain the fruit in the relation stated, and, through the means beto-re described, the fruit are successively stamped just before discharge from the conveyer onto the discharge plate l2, an operation which, it is to be noted, may be carried on economically and without danger to the fruit.

lV claim 1. A fruit branding machine comprising the combination of a conveyer including side sprocket chains and a belt having openings in spaced apart relation and in alined series and forming seats for the VJfruit, shafts at opposite endsof the conveyer having sprocket wheels engaging the said side chains of the .conveyen a stamping roller around one of said shafts between itssprocket wheels and having a spaced series ot' stamps therearound, to successively aline with the openings of the belt at the upper portion of' the roller, a presser foot mounted above the coni'cycr and engaging the t'rui't as it succes svely arrivesabove the stamping roller, and

a discharge platereceiving the stamped fruit from thedelivery end of the conveyer.

2. .A1 fruit branding machine comprising the combination'of a conveyer including an endless -belt yhaving openings therein spaced `apart and in aline'd 'series' for the reception of the fruit, a stamping roller around which the belt passes atone end of the conveyer,

shafts for actuating Vthe conveyer to one of `which said stamping roller is secured Whereby to rotate in consonance with the conveyer,

a plurality .of stampingmembers secured to said rol-ler in spaced apart relation to coinfruit, .and

cid'e With the several openings of thefbelt asl the latter arrive above .the stamping roller, said stamplng members projecting alined series vfor the reception of the fruit,

a4 stamping roller around whichthe belt vtravels at one end of the conveyer having a i plurality of peripheral outstanding stamps spaced apart therearound distances equal to the spacingof the belt openings,"m'eans for rotating the cylinder in consonance With the belt, and means for. successively engaging and holding the fruit in the openingsA of the belt in their movement across the topvof vthe stamping roller.

inking rollers adjacent the saidi. A branding mathineinciuding the combination 'of an endless conveyer having opemngs lnwhich the articles to hel branded are seated, and a stai-nping'roller around which' one end of v.saidjcvcinlveyer travels, having peripheral stampsand 'rotating in consonan'ce with',the'beltawhereby to move its stamps successivelyinto contact` with the moving articles.,V l

branding machine .of the character described, includingfan endless conveyer having openings therein forming seats for the articlest bepphranded, a stamping roller having r1g1d stampi-supports thereon and rotating. in. consonance )with the conveyer, and yielding stamp members on said supports. s

-6. A branding machine of the type described including an endless conveyer having openings therein forming seats for the articles to be branded, a stamping roller havsonance Wit'lf the conveyer, sa'id roller being arranged in the-left of the conveyer and, forming a part of the conveyer support, to

present its stamps upwardly adjacent each of. the openings of the conveyer and against the articleseated therein, and means above the conveyer for engaging and holding the articles successively in their seats as the stamps are applied thereto.

EDWARD 1).'-P0RCHER- Witnesses: l

A. BUFFARB, R. HOLMES.

. ing peripheral stamps and rotating in conv Copies of'this patent may be obtained for ve'cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o1' Patents,`

v Washington, D. C. 

